Grand Schemes
by Nakao Inugami
Summary: Oh my, well, um. This is a story of the past few years in the life of one, Motoko Aoyama. Takes a look at an older version of herself, and takes a look back (in the next few chapters) of a younger and more naive her.


Grand Schemes  
  
By: Nakao Eintracht  
  
Disclaimer: Love Hina characters, names, situations and the Love Hina universe are the property of Ken Akamatsu and Kodansha Ltd 1999-2002. Neither I, nor this script/story are connected with either of the two in any way, shape or form. This document may not be Publicized or reproduced in any way, shape or form. It must remain fully intact and may not be altered in any way. It is strictly used for Not-for-profit entertainment purposes only, and is not intended to infringe on any copyrights.  
  
Thus ends another wonderful and exciting episode of Copyright Crap.  
  
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This is the first installment on a short series based on Motoko's memories and her development as a character, though I think I will not go into a first person perspective at all in this story. Hmm. He he, and it is not going to be as angsty or dark as this chapter seems to make it thank-you. Motoko, as of this chapter is around the age of either 19 or 20.  
  
Oh, and this is my very first Love Hina fic. he he, so please, try not to be so harsh, I'm doing all I can here.  
  
  
  
-----Prologue-----  
  
In the great scheme of things, one life doesn't seem of any great importance. But, there are a few out there that treasure it, claiming that they know life's true value. And still, to others, life is but a series of ill-timed coincidences and little miracles, miracles that sometimes, twist fate by its fingers, willing it to weave a separate pattern in its great tapestry. Yet, to others, life, hand in hand with fate are only grand fallacies, making their dealings in false hopes and broken promises.  
  
'Broken promises.'  
  
The bartender laughed at that as she looked about the room, most of the people here would think her train of thought redundant, as drifters often did. "To each his own," she commented loosely as she picked up a glass, proceeding to clean it with a white washrag. But, each one of these so- called drifters had their own unique story, and she, more often than not, was in a position to listen. Smiling slightly, she turned and put the cup back on a nearby shelf. 'And I don't exactly mind listening.' she snickered quietly at that. 'Especially if it involves those speaking drinking large amounts of alcohol.' Which of course meant more money for her.  
  
She was suddenly jolted from her musings by a woman falling heavily into the stool directly in front of her, an empty cup somehow finding its way out of her hand and onto the counter. Smiling in amusement, our bartender turned to the woman and tapped the counter-top to get her attention. The woman slowly raised her head and blinked, as if just now noticing the bartender was even there.  
  
"Can I get you something friend?" The bartender grinned as she said it. The woman raised an eyebrow and returned the bartender a weak smile.  
  
"Yeah. Can I just get a beer?"  
  
"No problem," She said it cheerfully, but in truth, the bartender almost blinked. The woman bore the same, bleary-eyed gaze most of the people who came to this establishment had on their faces. Yet, there was a demure dignity in the way she carried herself that separated her from them. She didn't ponder this for very long as she took the woman's cup and filled it near the brim with the frothy golden liquid.  
  
At first, the woman didn't touch it, she simply stared fixedly at the bubbles that floated to the top of the glass, and it was then our bartender finally got to get a good look at her. She almost did a double take; the woman was absolutely gorgeous.  
  
She bore sharp, yet delicate features, a triangular face set with high cheekbones, a pair of determined eyes, subtly oriental, the color of a slightly hazy pond when the sun shone upon it, a brilliant, gray-green, their dark depths were slightly glazed over with the after-effects of a few previous drinks, but through that, the bartender could see a distinct undertone of sadness. Porcelain skin contrasted beautifully with her long, cascading raven black hair, this, along with a body most men would kill for, more than made up for her slightly superfluous height.  
  
Not wanting to be caught staring, the bar tender turned around and went back to her bar tenderly duties, leaving the woman to her own devices. The only contact they had for the next few hours was a short exchange of words every time the bartender refilled her cup.  
  
When one is getting drunk, time tends to fly, so, to the woman sitting at the counter, it didn't seem too long before it got late.  
  
The bar had slowly started to empty itself of people, soon isolating the bartender and the woman. The bartender, no longer having much to do, reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a small book of sorts, settling down in a nearby chair behind the counter to read it. The woman chanced to look up a short while later, catching a glance of the book. Even in her drunken state, she would recognize an exam reference book anywhere. She let out a soft chuckle.  
  
The bartender blinked and turned her attention to the source of the light noise. She was surprised to see the woman looking at her, laughing quietly to herself, as if at some private joke. A small voice replied to the bartender's questioning gaze.  
  
"Which one are you aiming for?" She asked in an amused tone, amazing the bartender slightly at the lack of a slur in her voice.  
  
"Ma'am?"  
  
"That book. Which university are you aiming to get in?" She asked again, a little clearer this time.  
  
The bartender blinked once again and smiled. "Why, none other than Toudai ma'am,"  
  
The woman's smile seemed to get larger and she chuckled again. "Tokyo University?" She leaned forward on her elbows and rested her chin in her hands. "That name. sure does bring back quite a few memories," She said, almost wistfully.  
  
Smiling, the bartender sets down the book and looked at her in interest. "Any particular reason ma'am?  
  
"Please. just call me Motoko," The bartender cocked her head slightly in curiosity, before nodding, the name seemed to suit her. Motoko looked away from her, her eyes focusing on nothing in particular. At first, the bartender thought she wasn't going to speak again, but was then a bit surprised when the woman took a deep breath, then let a soft sigh penetrate the silence of the bar, a shadow of a smile playing on her lips.  
  
"Quite a few years back. I met this guy, and he too was aiming for Toudai," She looked down and sighed," We had. a very strange relationship, I hated him, he was. a loser, a lecherous pervert, an idiot, and a klutz. I never allowed myself to look past that when I first met him," She let out something close to both a playful scoff and a light laugh. "Back then, I actually detested men in general. so slow, so useless. hiding behind a shell, like cowards, just like." Motoko shuddered. "J-Just like turtles." She took another deep breath as she continued. "Over the course of a year. my anger waned. and. I found myself hurting him, more out of frustration than anything else, but. for some reason, he would never fight back, never once, did he do anything to defend himself against me," She took a short sip out of her almost empty cup and continued. "It made me hate him more. made me hate him for making me scared, making me hate him for. for." Sighing, she tapped her cup once and the bartender promptly refilled it, still listening intently. She didn't continue on the same sentence, instead, she smiled wistfully and took another swig from the cup, letting it burn in her chest before speaking again.  
  
"I. I remember this one time. it was like. 5:30 in the morning, pouring rain outside, I was simply knocked out," She let a small sigh escape her lips at the next part, shifting uncomfortably in her seat." But. for some reason, I got out of bed and walked over to my window, I had no idea why I was doing it, but as soon as I looked out my window, I saw him, standing there, alone, and completely drenched," She looked directly at the bartender and gave a weak smile. "I remember shuddering as a ribbon of lightning lanced its way across the sky, but in the brief moment the light allowed me to see his face, I knew he had finally found what he was looking for."  
  
She straightened a little and got a bemused look on her face. "Next thing I knew. I was standing out there with him, and I have been standing there with him ever since. even if he doesn't know, or cares."  
  
The bartender blinked and looked down at her. "Did you. love the man?"  
  
Motoko giggled a bit (AN: Try imagining this peeps. ^_^;) "Well. if you want. would you like to hear a story? Though. this might take awhile to finish,"  
  
The bartender nodded slowly, pulling up her chair and settling back in it. Motoko propped her head on one hand and her face took on a bit of a faraway look. "Okay then.. Where should I start? Ah. I know,"  
  
-----End Prologue-----  
  
Hope you like what I've got so far, I'll try and get something new up ASAP. ^_^; Or is it even worth continuing? 


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